The best children's books of 2016

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From polite penguins to robotic bees, here are the best tales of 2016 for young readers.

Picture books

Steve Antony is a huge hit with parents, because his books all stress the virtues of behaving well. But the engaging illustrations and zappy prose ensure that children never suspect they are being preached to. I’ll Wait, Mr Panda (Hodder, £6.99) features a group of animals who pester Mr Panda to tell them what he is cooking. In a simple yet skilful plot, only the penguin has the patience to wait and see.

The Christmas Bear

Spinderella by Julia Donaldson (Egmont, £6.99) is about a spider who lives in a school but hates numbers, and can’t add up the goals when she plays football with her brothers and sisters. But...